Question 1

Jane leads a task force developing specifications for a new customer database to be used by several departments.Jane is an IT supervisor,but most of the other task force members are directors of other departments.At the first meeting,a few of them asked questions that she couldn't answer.According to the contingency model,Jane's situational control is likely

Accepted Answer

The contingency model suggests that situational control is dependent on the amount of control a leader has over their team and the tasks at hand. In this case, Jane may have authority as an IT supervisor, but the fact that most of the other task force members are directors of other departments means that they likely have more control over their respective areas of the project. Additionally, Jane was unable to answer some of the questions posed by these directors, which suggests a lack of control over the task force. Therefore, her situational control is likely low.

Question 2

The leadership styles of ________ originally included supportive and achievement-oriented and two others,but was more recently revised to include a total of eight styles.

Accepted Answer

House's path-goal model originally included four leadership styles - directive, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented. However, recent extensions of the model have added four more leadership styles - coaching, affiliative, democratic and pacesetting.

Question 3

____ is the model that requires a manager to assess her own leadership orientation and the level of her situational control.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency model requires a manager to assess their own leadership orientation (task-oriented or relationship-oriented) and the level of their situational control (favorability of the situation), in order to determine which leadership style is most effective.

Question 4

In the contingency model,if your leadership orientation does not match the situation in your workplace,Fiedler recommends that you

Accepted Answer

Fiedler suggests that the best course of action is to move to a more suitable situation that matches your leadership orientation. This is because, according to the contingency model, a mismatch between leadership orientation and situational demands can result in poor performance and job dissatisfaction. Altering your leadership style, altering employees' personalities, or gradually changing the makeup of your employees may not be feasible or effective solutions, and getting an assistant with the preferred orientation may not always be possible. Therefore, the best choice is to find a situation that matches your leadership orientation.

Question 5

According to Fiedler's contingency model,______ situation control favors a leader who is ______-oriented.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency model suggests that a leader's effectiveness is based on the situation control and leader-member relations. In a situation where there is moderate control and moderate leader-member relations, a leader who is relationship-oriented is most effective. Therefore, the best choice would be D - moderate situation control favored by a leader who is relationship-oriented.

Question 6

David's peers were surprised when he received a promotion and suddenly became their supervisor.They thought he was rather unreliable and weren't sure he was up to the task.According to the contingency model,David has

Accepted Answer

According to the contingency model, poor leader-member relations occur when there is a lack of trust and confidence between the leader and the group, which is evident in David's peers' surprise and doubts about his reliability and capability.

Question 7

According to the contingency model,a relationship-oriented leadership style works best in ______ situations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the contingency model,a relationship-oriented leadership...

Question 8

James leads a training and development team.He expects excellence,sets challenging goals,and expresses confidence that all team members are capable of doing their part to meet and exceed the goals.According to revised path-goal theory,James is using a(n)______ leadership style.

Accepted Answer

James is displaying an achievement-oriented leadership style as he sets challenging goals and expects excellence from his team members. This is in line with the revised path-goal theory, which states that leaders can enhance their team's performance by providing challenging goals and expressing confidence in their abilities to achieve them.

Question 9

Which of the following is not an employee characteristic of relevance in path-goal theory?

Accepted Answer

Position power is not a personal characteristic of the employee, but rather a factor related to their position within the organization. The other options are all personal characteristics that can impact how an employee responds to different leadership styles in the path-goal theory.

Question 10

Sammie leads a task force charged with restructuring the order-processing system in the organization.The task force is composed of her peers over whom she has little control,and some of whom do not seem to respect her.According to the contingency model,Sammie should adopt a(n)___________ leadership style.

Accepted Answer

The contingency model suggests that the most effective leadership style depends on the situation. In this case, Sammie is leading a task force composed of her peers who may not respect her, indicating a low degree of control over her subordinates. Therefore, a task-oriented leadership style, which focuses on achieving specific goals and providing clear directions, would be most appropriate in this situation.

Question 11

Erin,a department manager,is struggling trying to lead a cross-functional team.Most members are other department managers at her level,and they see no reason to do what she asks.Here,Erin has

Accepted Answer

Erin's struggle with leading a cross-functional team may be due to weak position power. Position power refers to the power that comes from a manager's formal position in an organization. Based on the scenario, Erin may not have the authority or support needed to influence the other department managers to do what she asks. This lack of power can make it difficult for her to lead the team effectively.

Question 12

Kim supervises a group of customer service representatives.Kim is respected and well liked by her staff,and she has worked hard to make sure each of them knows how to do their job well.She is responsible for all staffing and reward decisions in her department.Kim has _____ in the contingency model.

Accepted Answer

The contingency model proposes that effective leadership depends on the level of situational control a leader has, which can be influenced by three factors: task structure, position power, and leader-member relations. In this scenario, Kim is responsible for staffing and reward decisions in her department, indicating a high level of situational control. Therefore, the best choice is D) high situational control. The other options are unlikely since the scenario mentions that Kim is respected and well-liked by her staff, indicating high leader-member relations, and she has worked hard to ensure each staff member knows how to do their job well, indicating high task structure. Additionally, there is no mention of Kim's expert power, making option E unlikely.

Question 13

In Fiedler's contingency leadership model,________ is the amount of influence a leader has in his or her immediate work environment.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency leadership model proposes that a leader's effectiveness depends on the degree of situational control the leader has on the situation. This situational control is measured by three factors: leader-member relations, task structure, and position power. Therefore, situational control is the amount of influence a leader has in his or her immediate work environment.

Question 14

_____ is the questionnaire used in Fiedler's model to determine leadership orientation.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's model uses the Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale questionnaire to determine leadership orientation. The LPC scale asks leaders to think about a person they have had to work with that they have liked least and to rate that person on a series of bipolar adjectives. The scale measures whether a leader is more task-oriented or relationship-oriented in their leadership style.

Question 15

One of three dimensions of situational control in the contingency leadership model,______ is the extent to which tasks are routine,unambiguous,and easily understood.

Accepted Answer

Task structure refers to the degree to which tasks are routine and unambiguous. This dimension of situational control is important because leaders can adapt their leadership style based on the level of task structure. In situations where task structure is high, leaders can use a more directive approach to guide their followers, while in situations where task structure is low, leaders need to provide more support and empowerment to their followers.

Question 16

"Do my subordinates accept me as a leader?" This question reflects which of the following dimensions of situational control?

Accepted Answer

Leader-member relations refers to the degree of trust, respect, and confidence followers have in their leader. The question "Do my subordinates accept me as a leader?" directly relates to this dimension of situational control.

Question 17

Marcel supervises a group of paralegals serving the firm's lawyers.He gets along well with his employees,and he has created detailed procedures for all the types of legal document they encounter.Marcel hires and fires;he also gives work assignments,performance appraisals,and promotions.The optimal leadership style for Marcel is _____ according to the contingency model.

Accepted Answer

The contingency model suggests that a task-oriented leadership style is optimal when the leader has a good relationship with employees, clear task structure, and strong position power, as Marcel does.

Question 18

According to House's revised path-goal theory,a leader's style should vary depending on

Accepted Answer

House's revised path-goal theory states that a leader's style should vary according to the employee characteristics and environmental factors. This is known as the contingency approach, which recognizes the importance of situational factors in determining the most effective leadership style to use. Therefore, to be successful, leaders need to adapt their style to fit the demands of the situation and the needs of the employees. The other choices, such as position power, situational control, organizational readiness, and leader-member relations, are important but are not the main factors that determine a leader's style under the revised path-goal theory.

Question 19

Fiedler's contingency leadership model determines if a leader's style is

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency leadership model classifies a leader's style as either task-oriented or relationship-oriented based on the leader's perception of their level of control and influence over the situation. This classification determines the leader's effectiveness in different situations.

Question 20

____________ is the model in which an effective leader makes desirable rewards available,clarifies how employees can achieve objectives,and provides them support in doing so.

Accepted Answer

House's path-goal model is the model in which an effective leader makes desirable rewards available, clarifies how employees can achieve objectives, and provides them support in doing so. This model emphasizes the role of the leader in enabling the achievement of the team's goals by providing guidance and removing obstacles.

Quiz 14: Power, Influence, and Leadership: From Becoming a Manager to Becoming a Leader